TRIA Orthopaedic Center Your Cycling Blog

Sports radio 1400 interviews Emily Georgeson. Emily is a young upcoming racer from Wisconsin. She qualified to race in the Nature Valley Grand Prix through the Nature Valley Pro Chase amateur qualifier series. Emily talks about what it will be like to race in front of the home crowd. Also what inspired her to enter racing and her goals as a racer.

We have all heard the stories about food quality over the last couple years. Today, I am going to mathematically prove that you can count calories, stay on task, and still not meet your nutrition goals.

Lets Do this.. For the sake of time, I am going to setup a fictitious person and their goals.

Female, 35, Very active lifestyle and works out 3-4 times a week. Recommended number of calories per day 2400. A little high based on the US Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid, but we are giving you some wiggle room based on your lifestyle.

Lets see…

Breakfast 400 calories

Starbucks Coffee 240 cal

Lunch 400 cal

Sports Drink 200 cal

Snack 250 cal

Supper 600 cal

Total calories 2290 cal, well below your goal for daily intake.

All looks good on paper, so what is the problem?

Choose Organic over Genetically-Modified Foods

Current food stuffs do not have the same nutrients in the food as the non-genetically modified, organic food. So you may be eating all the right items, but not supplying your body with the nutrients your body needs to work properly. Not all tomatoes are created equal. For that matter, not all food is created equal.

The world of genetically-modified foods and food grown with pesticides and chemicals has been proven to be not of the same quality of food from years past. Check out this study on the comparison of food products at the genetic-level. The study shows that in some cases, the food may be almost 10 times less nutritious.

For the sake of argument, we will run with the thought that the food is only two times less nutritious that it could or should have. You now need to consume 4580 cal, not 2290 cal to gain the benefit you need for your body to operate properly and recover.

You are literally going in a deficit every day if you do not choose your food sources wisely. You are eating the right foods, but your body is starving.

Solution:

Choose natural (organic) foods and control the sources of those non-gmo items.

Follow this simple rule and you will meet your nutritional goals, train at a higher level and recover quicker from your workouts without even changing what you are eating.

Charlie Schlatter, one of our moto marshals, composed this epic tale about the cancelled Cannon Falls Road Race, and we thought it provided a great behind-the-scenes look at another aspect of the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

They arrived one by one on their various two-wheeled steeds. Clad in their full armor, ready for whatever a bicycle race might require of a guy on a motorcycle. Most of them claimed an affinity for bike racing, but all they really wanted to do was to ride their bikes. Lined up along the road they looked like some odd collection, colors, shapes, ages, and equipment all different, all individual.

Captain Kirk called the band together just as the rain began in earnest. Wearing a yellow raincoat, his imposing, tall, grey countenance was unmistakable. He gave us a lecture on safety and proper moto-marshall technique.

For this reporter, it was the second storm of the day. The first was in St. Paul, where our entrance to the freeway in the pouring rain had been enhanced by hail stones beating on our helmets and bikes. The Captain immediately dispatched me, the scout, to find suitable shelter for the band. Finding the deli full and the pizza parlor too small, we held out under an awning for a time. Then one of the knights discovered a bakery and coffee shop.

The knights assembled there. Made bold by draughts of coffee and sweets, we sat down at the long table. The boasting began. We rode in the cold rain with Sir Jim. We led a bicycle race in the Rockies with Sir Les. We rode through rain and dirt in the far north with Sir Charles. We dodged tornadoes. We envied the spirit of youth, who would try all of the above without armor or gear. Sir Duane displayed his new suit, a bright green shell that looked impenetrable. Sir Les quietly admitted that his raincoat had been blown from the back of his bike on the way and could someone lend him a raincoat? Outside the sky was full of thunder, fork lightning, and gusts. The Knights held forth, swapping yarns and eyeing each other’s gear, until the coffee was gone.

When the rain finally let up enough to see a little, the band left the bakery to return to their duty stations at the start of the race. There, Captain Kirk informed them that the race was officially cancelled, and that their services were no longer needed. The sky began to threaten once again.

The Knights of the long table, having been dismissed, were released to ride their own rides home. Someone said the big storm was yet to come. Captain Kirk and this scout considered the situation. I, the scout, suggested waiting until the pending storm had blown over. Captain Kirk merely started his engine.

Off we went, into the gathering dusk, trying to clear the fog from both the inside and the outside of our soaked helmets as we rode. The rain began in earnest as we swung into the traffic headed north. On we rode, I the scout in the lead. When I could see far enough, I noticed a really black cloud bank looming. I was headed straight into it. I saw the red-eyed devil’s herd stampeding along the top edge of that ragged black cloud as I rode head on into it. The rain increased. I passed a highway overpass, thought about stopping under it, and immediately rejected the idea as foolishness. If we weren’t to be washed away, a truck would surely kill us. On we went, as the flood waters collected. If we crossed deep water, I never saw it. I was blinded by the heavy rain. Visibility was nearing zero. Tail lights in front of me became emergency flashers blurred by sheets of rain and spray. I followed them up the nearest exit ramp, up a hill and onto a side road. There, to the right, a pickup had taken shelter behind a small building. Deep muddy water surrounding it prevented me from following it there. The roadsides were awash as well. I turned my bike into the storm, let it idle, and stopped in the deluge. The wind tried to push me over. Sheets of rain blotted out the headlight. Captain Kirk, following me, had not even made it up the exit ramp. I could barely make out his headlight several hundred yards down the hill, also stopped.

The rain let up a little. Captain Kirk made it to where I was yet stopped, idling. We could not speak. The rain let up a little more. The ditches were filling with water and beginning to wash over the road. I put the bike in gear and rode onto the highway. With tail lights ahead of me, I could stay on the road. We rode into heavier rain, and heavier still, until visibility was gone once again.

At last I noticed a lighted sign and a turn off. I took it. Fording a couple of new rivers, we arrived at a restaurant. We went in. The scout took off his armor and left it in the doorway to drip and leak on the floor. Captain Kirk just tromped to the table, trailing water. The waitress asked what I’d like. I replied, “A double shot of Jack Daniel’s.” But none was offered. We settled for coffee and food.

When we finished, it was still raining hard. We put the gear back on. We strode to our bikes. We forded the new rivers and returned to the highway. Through the mess we continued.

At last, somewhere just south of St. Paul, we rode out of the rain. Slowly I began to be able to see again. We picked up speed. We got home.

There is no word from the rest of the Knights, except for Sir Duane, who has unfortunately reported that his new, impenetrable armor leaks water.

Whether you are racing your bike or training to ride the Menomonie Gran Fondo, as you begin to increase your amount of exercise, recovery starts to become more important.

Despite all the science that has gone into all the recovery drinks on the market, it is beginning to look like the kids favorite, chocolate milk, just might be your best option, and because of that we are excited that KEMPS low-fat chocolate milk is the “Official Recovery Drink” of the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

You might be saying, “wait a minute, chocolate milk? Really?”

But a growing body of research supports chocolate milk’s recovery benefits after strenuous exercise. Most recently, a study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggested that recovering with chocolate milk can give runners a performance edge. Researchers from Connecticut State University, University of Connecticut and Eastern Michigan University, found that when recreational runners drank fat free chocolate milk after a strenuous run, they ran 23 percent longer during a subsequent exercise bout later that day and had a 38 percent increase in markers of muscle building compared to when they drank a carbohydrate-only sports beverage with the same amount of calories. It’s also been shown to help athletes tone up gain more lean muscle and lose fat when compared to drinking a carb only beverage and contains 9 essential nutrients that an athlete needs, including some not typically found in recovery drinks.

Because KEMPS low-fat Chocolate milk contains the right mix of carbs and protein scientifically shown to help refuel muscles, it helps restore muscles quickly to their peak potential. Because of this athletes and coaches, like Nick Folker the USA Swimming Trainer and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of California, are recognizing the benefits of refueling with low-fat KEMPS chocolate milk. “It has the right carb to protein ratio scientifically shown to help the body recover, high-quality protein to help repair muscles and fluids and electrolytes to replenish what’s lost in sweat. It’s so simple, plus it tastes great!” said Folker.

Want more information on the benefits of KEMPS low-fat chocolate milk with strenuous exercise? Visit www.gotchocolatemilk.com for additional information.

The experts from TRIA Orthopaedic Center will be checking in from time to time to share tips for cyclists on a wide range of topics. Today’s installment is from Anne Moore, MD, CAQ who focuses on Musculoskeletal Primary Care/Sports Medicine. She will be talking to us about signs an injury may be severe and may need medical assistance.

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Cycling injuries occur across a spectrum of severity.

Many bike injuries are caused by overuse or ramping up into activity too quickly. Falling off the bike can involve more serious injuries, such as abrasions, muscle/tendon strains, ligament sprains (or tears), fractures, joint dislocations and concussions. Typically, pain or soreness which occurs after activity and resolves with rest is less worrisome. Pain that occurs during biking may be a sign of an injury that could benefit from further medical evaluation.

Soreness is simply less intense than pain, and can certainly be expected with intense physical activity. One of the most basic prevention strategies for these types of injuries is to undergo a formal bike fitting and make sure that you do not overload any body part simply due to malalignment. Additionally, cross training with strength training, flexibility exercises, swimming, and core stabilization can help overall fitness and minimize overuse injuries.

If a fall is sustained while biking, open skin wounds should be cleaned thoroughly and may require antibiotics and/or stitches. If localized swelling, redness, or bruising occurs at an injury site, this should be evaluated by a health care provider, especially if it persists for days (sooner if sharp pain or loss of function accompanies the injury).

Although helmets are necessary and can protect riders from skull fractures, serious head injuries can still occur with falls from a bike. Concussions are the most common of these injuries, and should undergo formal medical evaluation. Some typical signs and symptoms of concussion can include headache, dizziness, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, feeling foggy, visual disturbances, feeling nauseated, or changes in sleep. The majority of concussions resolve within 1-2 weeks, but lingering symptoms are more concerning.

As a recreational and competitive sport, biking is especially beneficial for people with knee arthritis since it does not tend to overload the joints. However for patients with low bone mineralization/osteoporosis, it is not very beneficial from a bone strengthening standpoint. None the less, biking provides several other health benefits, and can be enjoyed throughout one’s lifetime.

As cyclists begin to head outdoors for longer rides, some start to feel pain in their foot, a phenomenon known as “Hot Foot.” Today, Dr. Heather Thoerner, CAQ and Medical Director for the Nature Valley Grand Prix, addresses issues related to foot pain in cyclists.

Hot spots are an uncomfortable challenge that many cyclists encounter as their journeys increase in length and time during the warmer months. With Hot Foot, the rider will begin to feel an uncomfortable burning sensation, often in the ball of the foot. Despite the common thought that this comes from actual heat, ‘Hot foot’ is actually a condition known as ‘metatarsalgia.’ Metatarsals are the long bones of the feet, and ‘algia’ means painful – hence metatars-algia. In cyclists, metatarsalgia occurs when all of the riders body weight is focused on too small an area of the foot overlying the pedal.

Below are the main issues that should be addressed to alleviate or prevent hot foot.

Bike fit:

proper bike fit and positioning on the bike can be addressed by your local shop or physical therapist. Bike fit has implications for all joints and points of the body.

Shoe type:

the type of shoe you choose can also help to alleviate hot foot. Start with a stiffer soled cycling shoe with an adequately wide toe box. Carbon fiber, although the most expensive, creates the stiffest platform so that the pressure during a pedal stroke can be distributed throughout the foot, rather just onto the ball of the foot where the pedal sits.

Pedal type:

a slightly larger platform pedal can also be helpful in distributing the stress.

Pedal position:

moving the cleat slightly further back on the shoe may help to take the pressure off of the hot spot, but be cautious with these changes as they will change the overall position and alignment of the rider, which may contribute to other joint pain.

Shims:

shims put between the cleat and the shoe can help to put certain riders into a more anatomic alignment. Again, seek expert advice when altering the foot position.

Shoe inserts:

the most helpful way to off-load the metatarsals and alleviate Hot Foot is to cushion the area behind the ball of the foot and off-load the pressure point on the metatarsal. This can be accomplished by either a customized shoe insert or by metatarsal padding.

Orthotics:

many different brands of semi-custom orthotic inserts can be purchased. These inserts can be bought at many local bicycle shops, outdoor sporting shops, and doctors and physical therapy offices. Again, the goal is to have more support behind the ball of the foot. This will be different from the typical insert that a runner (with heel-strike issues) would want.

Metatarsal padding or buttons:

over the counter padding can be found at most drug stores. Use the adhesive tape to place the button just behind the ball of the foot.

Whichever method or combination of methods you use to help you alleviate your pain, remember, the goal to alleviate pain is to distribute pressure evenly throughout the foot.

Knee pain is a common occurence this time of year. As the miles ramp up with the weather warming up, the tendency is to “over-do” the base mile training. Today, Dr. Anne Moore, CAQ, a sports medicine physician specializing in musculoskeletal primary care, assesses the solutions to cycling knee pain:

Knee pain which occurs with biking is often due to mechanical symptoms, involving both the bike itself and the biker. Proper bike fitting is critical in order to ensure the best alignment and limited load stress at the knee joint. Weakness through the core/pelvifemoral region can result in pain in the patellofemoral joint, tendons about the patella, or iliotibial band. While adequate training is necessary, physical therapy can be helpful to address musculoskeletal/biomechanical deficits. Although knee bracing can be helpful in the short run, physical therapy is more effective at fixing problems on a long term basis.

The most important skill a rider who participates in group ride must possess is: PREDICTABILITY.

Spring is here and with it the beginning of group rides. Cyclists have been cooped up all winter, riding spin bikes or trainers in basements. These bikes require no bike handling skills and the rider has no need to think about anything other than riding with the planned effort.

We then get outside and ride in a group setting. Riders bike handling skills are reduced from the long winter, fitness is likely not as good, yet the instinct to ride hard in the group is there. Add all these up and the risk of crashes and other incidents is high.

Predictability in the peloton is really nothing more than holding your line as much as possible, then making controlled changes and no abrupt movements. In addition, keep your eye on the road and call out holes and road debris well in advance so both you and the riders around you are prepared to move safely.

Practice riding a straight line on each of your individual training rides. The easiest way to do this is to ride the white line which separates the shoulder from the road. Obviously, this should be practiced on low traffic roads, all the while paying attention to vehicles coming up behind you and moving off to the shoulder smoothly.

If you don’t have access to a road that fits this criteria, simply ride on the shoulder, keeping your eyes well ahead of you and aiming for that area. This should be done while practicing on the white line as well. Focusing your eyes right in front of the bike forces abrupt movements, which is exactly what we’re trying to avoid. Rather, focus 30-50 feet ahead and you’ll remain nice and smooth and on a great line.

There’s nothing more unnerving in a group ride than riding near somebody who’s unpredictable. This person is not welcome in the group and won’t be invited back. Don’t be this person. Practice your riding skills, be smooth and controlled, call out any changes.

Make your ride and the ride of the rest of the group fun and safe. Be predictable.

Feel free to contact me with any questions. In the meantime, GET OUT AND RIDE!

Bob McEnaney trains cyclists, triathletes and other endurance athletes through his company, Total Cycling Performance (www.totalcyclingperformance.com). Bob is also the head coach for Life Time Fitness cyclists and other athletes. He has coached and trained endurance athletes of all levels for over 20 years. Bob is certified as a professional Cycling coach through USA Cycling and a Triathlon coach through USA Triathlon. Bob lives in Woodbury and may be reached at Bob@totalcyclingperformance.com.

Minneapolis — New teams and new favorites make this year’s Women’s Prestige Cycling Series wide open when it begins Thursday in California with the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Since 2004, the Series has highlighted women’s racing by giving them a spotlight they do not have to share with men. It is the only national series solely for women and is considered to be the heir apparent to the HP International Women’s Challenge, which ended its 19-year run in 2002.

Last year’s winner, Mara Abbott, returns to defend her individual title, but she will not be supported by her new Diadora Safi-Pasta team. Instead, she will be guest riding for SC Velo-Empower Coaching. Other favorites for the individual title include two-time world time trial champion Kristin Armstrong, who managed Abbott last year as part of the Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12 squad. Armstrong, the 2008 Olympic time trial gold medalist and four-time Nature Valley Grand Prix champion, has come out of retirement to ride for Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY12. Other individual contenders are Catherine Cheatley (Colavita Forno D’Asolo), who finished third in the Series last year, and former world time trial champion Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad).

Mara Abbott celebrated her lead in the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series last year on Father’s Day at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. (courtesy Stephanie Williams)

Neben’s teammate, Amanda Miller, is the favorite for the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series Best Young Rider competition. An alumna of the Nature Valley Grand Prix’s Collegiate All Star team, Miller was runner-up at the San Dimas Stage Race, the traditional tune-up for Redlands. The 25-year-old is also the only rider who retains her age eligibility from the top five of last year’s Best Young Rider classification.

The Series Sprint classification is wide open. Last year’s champion, Carla Swart, was killed in a training accident in January, while runner-up Shelley Olds is racing in Europe. Third-place finisher Carmen Small (Team TIBCO/To The Top) may be challenged by Cheatley or Abbott, particularly if they are not contesting the individual title.

On paper, HTC-Highroad is the favorite to unseat 2010 team champion Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12. While HTC-Highroad is stacked with talent, Peanut Butter & Co TWENTY12 has lost Olds (to Diadora-Pasta Zara-Manhattan) and Abbott. However, Armstrong’s return from retirement may well fill that gap. Other teams that could be in contention include Colavita Forno D’Asolo and Team TIBCO/To The Top.

The only only national-level competition produced by women for women features four races in its eighth year. Its origin can be traced back to a discussion at the 2003 Women’s Cycling Summit Conference, held at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Since then, more than 30 teams have participated in some of the United States’ top races from coast to coast. Following the Redlands Bicycle Classic in California (March 31-April 3), the Women’s Prestige Cycling Series travels to New Mexico for the SRAM Tour of the Gila (April 27-May 1), continues with the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota (June 15-19) and wraps up with the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic (July 19-24) in Oregon.

Minneapolis (Feb. 8, 2011) – Six new events are part of the 2011 Nature Valley Pro Ride, the qualifying races for amateur cyclists to earn a trip to compete against the country’s top men and women professional bicycle racers at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

The Nature Valley Pro Ride selects the top amateur man and woman at each race to become part of a pair of composite Nature Valley Cycling Teams for the 13th annual edition of the premier stage race on the 2011 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. This year’s Nature Valley Grand Prix is June 15-19 in East Central Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.

Nature Valley Pro Riders who are invited to compete in the Nature Valley Grand Prix earn free entries to the race, generous travel stipends, team clothing, housing, ground transportation, and staff support for their composite teams. They will also receive pro-level recognition before, during and after the events, including pre-race call-ups and participation in promotional and media appearances.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an amateur to receive a ‘battlefield promotion’ to compete with the top professionals,” Nature Valley Grand Prix Executive Director David LaPorte said. ”Since its inception 12 years ago, the Nature Valley Grand Prix has emerged as the top women’s bike racing event and one of the top men’s races in the U.S. The Nature Valley Pro Ride gives top U.S. amateurs a chance race in front of huge crowds, to be noticed by pro team managers and potentially to receive a pro contract.”

Donnie Miller, promoter of the Modern Woodman Bank Quad City Criterium – one of three races that make up the Quad Cities event – said being the last Nature Valley Pro Ride qualifying race makes it even more exciting.

“Those that don’t get in at the other five Nature Valley Pro Ride events have to come to our weekend and do all three races, not just one,” Miller said. “We definitely want to highlight some of our Midwest’s best and give them the shot they deserve. We have some pretty good talent here.”

Fayetteville Stage Race (March 19-20), near Austin, Texas: This three-stage race includes a 68-mile road race for men (48 miles for women) and a 6.6-mile time trial on Saturday. A 95-mile road race for men (49 for women) is the following day. Both road races take place on circuits with rolling hills, while the time trial is also over rolling terrain.

Jefferson Cup (March 27), Charlottesville, Va.: With a 20-year history, this is the oldest continually run road race in the Mid-Atlantic region. The course for the one-day race winds through rolling countryside south of Charlottesville. The race is 70 miles for men and 40 miles for women.

Tour of the Depot (April 9-10), Salt Lake City: The three-stage, two-day race is based in Tooele, Utah, about 35 miles west of Salt Lake City. Men race 90 miles on Saturday and 40 miles on Sunday. Women race 62 miles Saturday and 25 on Sunday. Saturday’s nine-mile time trial is run in the foothills of the Oquirrh Mountains.

Sterling Road Race (May 7), Boston: A rolling, eight-mile loop in Sterling, Mass., culminates with a challenging hilltop finish to this 48-mile race for women and 80-miler for the men.
Mutual of Enumclaw Stage Race (May 21-22), Seattle: Set near Mt. Rainier National Park, this is the longest running stage race in Washington state. A 6.2-mile time trial Saturday is followed by a 40-minute criterium for women and hour-long for men. Sunday’s road race is 58 miles for women and 72 miles for men on a 14-mile loop featuring a challenging climb.

Quad Cities (May 28-30), Iowa and Illinois: The three days of racing in the Memorial Weekend Omnium consist of three unique criteriums: Snake Alley, Melon City and the Modern Woodman Bank Quad City Criterium. All three have been a fixture on the Midwest racing circuit on Memorial Day weekend for more than 25 years.

About the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival

Now in its 13th year, the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival is a 10-day celebration of bicycling that includes amateur and professional racing and community events. The Festival will open on June 10-12 with the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic at the National Sports Center Velodrome. The marquee event, the Nature Valley Grand Prix, will be held June 15-19. The stage race has become the top event on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar, attracting top American and international racing teams and nearly 300 riders from around the world. The Festival is a volunteer-run event with all profits donated to the pediatric hospice at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. For more information, visit www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com.

About Nature Valley

Nature Valley, the brand that created the granola bar category in 1975, brings variety to healthy, active consumers looking for wholesome and great-tasting snacks. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Nature Valley is part of General Mills, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods products. For more information, visit www.NatureValley.com.